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Friday, October 31, 2008

"If Freedom Hawk were in search of the lost Black Sabbath riff, they've struck gold. Their debut CD, 'Sunlight' is so chock full of lumbering Sabbath-powered riffs and Blue Cheer-pinched guitar licks that it will put cracks in your walls once you press play! Freedom Hawk rock loud and proud and come HIGHLY RECOMMENDED."- The Atomic Chaser, THE DRP/All Access Magazine

Sounding more spacey than the coastal open air of hometown Virginia Beach, Freedom Hawk follow up their EP Universal with Sunlight, a far reaching and far more epic collection of material. What's familiar is the slow hard charge and thunderous metal groove of before. What's new is the different shape and color of it all. What resounds with Sunlight is that the band's sound continually moves forward, harboring a distinctive vibe while steadily refining it. Where many bands will find a sound and harvest it to death, Freedom Hawk play it unsafe, pushing forward stylistically and by design.

Born from similar timbre as Black Sabbath, Zeppelin and Fu Manchu, Freedom Hawk wedges in psychedelia with groove heavy rock and roll. The band knows how to shake ground and be thunderous but also when to ease back, to wallow in the groove, the funk, the palatial sweep of shapely and echoing guitar riffs.

Sunlight transcends the genre, offering more than simply metal for the masses or the skate, surf and stoner crowd. There's no further proof than 'Going Down', a sultry, sexy slow groove that boasts fuzzed out guitar, gentle beats and T.R. Morton's vocals seemingly coming from another dimension. The track is a complete surprise, buried beneath the entire swagger and power found on Sunlight.

Just as the album opens with the roaring aesthetics of 'Executioner' and 'Land of the Lost' they dial back for the noodling and Santana-esque vibe on the drop-heavy 'Stand Back'. It's a meditation to some degree, a pause before the storm given its followed 'Lightning Charge'. With 'Palomino' it's about getting down to business with full force and 'Grab a Hold' gets old school.

Like sitting on the ocean floor looking up or floating down from sky, the band crafts a large, hefty canvas. Freedom Hawk paints with waves of sound, ethereal vocal atmosphere and an army of backbeats. Sunlight is an eclectic and heavy ride.-Brian/Bootleg Magazine

“Sunlight” is the excellent full-length debut from Virginia hard rock outfit Freedom Hawk. This group is solid. Driven by powerful drum beats and excellently crafted guitar work, Freedom Hawk have composed nine exceptional hard rock tracks that dabble in metal and psychedelic and have a certain timeless quality to them. Attributing to this timelessness is the lead singer’s vocal performance. His melodic high-pitched vocals are reminiscent of Ozzy Osbourne with traces of Robert Plant. The songs are a lot of fun, meant to be played loud, and will immediately have you either bobbing your head or using your lap as a drum kit. “Sunlight” is well-produced, clean and ready to boom out of a pair of speakers. The title track, “Sunlight,” is a fun track with a great rocking arrangement that gets your head bobbing and features some great drum and guitar work. “Going Down” is a stripped down track with a slow drum beat and minimal guitar work that displays the fantastic vocal capabilities of the lead singer. “Sunlight” takes us back to a time where making hard rock wasn’t about making a lot of noise but rather about making very good music. Freedom Hawk have crafted a gem, and fans of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and classic hard rock are going to want to pick this one up.-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team

Track Listing:

01. Executioner02. Land of the Lost03. Sunlight04. Stand Back05. Lightning Charge06. Going Down07. Palomino08. Grab a Hold09. King of Order

Thursday, October 30, 2008

The "New Band To Burn One To" today is Perth, Australia's very own The Devil Rides Out.

"Combining the sexy big groove heaviness of stoner rock, the ugly lowbrow swagger of garage blues and the aggressive velocity of old school thrash, Western Australia’s THE DEVIL RIDES OUT have already established themselves as “Perth’s premier exponents of balls’n’all, rock’n’roll grit and grime” (Drum Media) with their first two CDs Volume I and Volume II.

Now they unleash the ferocious final chapter in their 6-6-6 trinity of EPs - Volume III. The third time around The Devil is bigger, badder and more belligerent than ever. The six new tracks are riff heaven for the rock pigs, and there’s a new found fire in the lyrical department that adds depth to the darkness.

Volume III is the real deal - the release The Devil Rides Out have always threatened to make and finally deliver. On the back of the release the band supported Nick (QOTSA/Kyuss) Oliveri's MONDO GENERATOR (US) on their down under tour in August '08.

THE DEVIL RIDES OUT WILL TOUR AUSTRALIA NATIONALLY IN JANUARY '09. RIDE ON!"

Reviews:

Inpress Magazine

"The Perth four-piece get off to a flier with opening track Slow Gun with its catchy chorus, sounding very much like a cross between Queens Of The Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal... they generate heavy stoner rock with liberal lashings of garage blues, delivered with a ferocious grit that is reminiscent of Mark Lanegan (check second track Fiftyonepercent) or perhaps Henry Rollins at his very best. For mine the standout track is Meet Joe Blues which takes on a palpable swagger with its lap steel bursts and tougher than tough lyrics. The comparisons aside, they combine a pretty unique Australian sound with some darn fine song writing for this type of genre: In a word, hard; in three words, check ‘em out."

Drum Media Perth

"The six tracks here do more than just take hold of you on initial impact, this time they beg you for repeat listens. They also take the chance to step out of their 'metal' framework with Meet Joe Blues, a Tom Waits inspired swampy barrage featuring Ben Franz on slide guitar, that shows the depth of frontman Joey K's well developed voice. The production too by Al Smith sounds smarter, making The Devil sound much more big league, but no less authentic."

StonerRock.com

"From the get-go I'm liking its touches of Faith No More/Melvins scizto unpredictability and unconventionality, evident in the music and vocals. 'Never a dull moment' is a phrase that could have been coined for this EP. Sure they have plenty of stonerisms but they're really only one part of their musical arsenal, there's even some New Wave synth-like guitar a la The Cars on track 2, 'The Shape of a Heart', imbuing it with a touch of pervertedly endearing pop-rock sheen. Then along comes track 4, 'Meet Joe Blues', which sounds like a classic southern rock band jamming with The Stones on an evil(er)adaptation of Sympathy For The Devil. Looking at their myspace, you can see their stated influences range from country to thrash and almost everything in between. The thing to point out here is, lots of bands fling around disparate influences like this, but very few manage to tie them together as convincingly as The Devil Rides Out do. I look forward to seeing where they go with a long player."

If you are looking for something new and refreshing, check these guys out. You will not be dissapointed!!

For more info and where you can purchase music from this remarkable band check out their MySpace page.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Probably one of the strangest band names I have encountered, but Catboy and The Dogs Of Sin know how to rock your head off. Hailing from Nottingham, UK, the band combines sixties/seventies rock with a very heavy groove. Check out the band and purchase their CD by visiting their MySpace page.

The Album Of The Day is the 1972 classic self-titled album by Captain Beyond.

Review:

Captain Beyond is a one-of-a-kind progressive album with rock, heavy metal, and jazz influences with a "space rock" lyrical bend. Formed by former members of Deep Purple (Rod Evans, vocals), Iron Butterfly (Rhino, lead guitar, and Lee Dorman, bass), and Johnny Winter (Bobby Caldwell, drums) Captain Beyond is an album that flows from riff to riff, drumbeat to drumbeat, often with various time signatures within the same song. Taking a tip from the Moody Blues, songs flow directly into each other without benefit of any lag time between selections. Taken as a whole, the album is kind of a rush, as quick, riff-laden guitar lines predominate for a few songs before slowing down temporarily into a lull until the next takeoff. Lyrically, the album differentiates itself by exploring themes of the outer world and meanings of existence, often with references to the moon, sea, sun, and so on. Listeners may get the feeling of taking a journey to space in a rocket ship headed for destination unknown. Musically, the album is superior in all aspects. Rod Evans has a strong rock voice, Rhino plays an enormous amount of hook-laden guitar lines, and Lee Dorman plays complex basslines (for example, at the end of "As the Moon Speaks-Return") that lead to typically rhythmic, nimble Bobby Caldwell drumming. The tightness between musicians is enormous, never lets up for long, and leaves the listener feeling like the ride should continue for the indefinite future. (Michael Ofjord, All Music Guide)

Track Listing:

01. Dancing Madly Backwards (on a Sea of Air)02. Armworth03. Myopic Void04. Mesmerization Eclipse05. Raging River of Fear06. Thoudsand Days of Yesterday (Intro)07. Frozen Over08. Thousand Days of Yesterdays (Time Since Come and Gone)09. I Can't Feel Nothin' (Part I)10. As the Moon Speaks (to the Waves of the Sea)11. Astral Lady12. As the Moon Speaks (Return)13. I Can't Feel Nothin' (Part II)

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Blue Cathedral, the third outing from Santa Cruz's Comets On Fire, is the culmination of five years of sonically overdriven rock & roll research. Here, the original quartet -- Ethan Miller, guitar and vocals; Noel Harmonson, echoplex and analog keyboards; Ben Flashman, bass; Utrillo Kushner, drums -- is augmented by new member and second guitarist Ben Chasny (aka Six Organs of Admittance) and the intermittent saxophone playing of guest Tim Daly (at whose studio this album was recorded). Chasny guested on the sprawling psychedelic freakout that was 2001's Field Recordings from the Sun. One of the most captivating things about this 2004 disc is how it weds the band's garagey MC5 meets Hawkwind attack with a more textural, spacious approach that includes keyboards up front much of the time -- as in organs and pianos adding some Ummagumma-Atom Heart Mother-ish Pink Floyd sounds to the cauldron. Punters shouldn't fear that the heaviness is gone, however. Far from it. One listen to "The Bee and the Cracking Egg" or "Whiskey River" should dispel those notions immediately. The Rob Tyner strangles Robert Calvert tactics that signify Miller's vocal approach are still squalling over the top of earsplitting guitar riffs -- twice as heavy as before. Harmonson's echoplex sends everything into the third dimension, and the rhythm section is so solid, so forward-driven, that it could hold its own with Cream's. "The Antlers of the Midnight Sun" is one of those powerful surging tracks that leaves the listener breathless and energized afterwards. The dueling off-the-rails guitars that push everything in the mix far into the red, the noisy adrenaline boost of that echoplex writhing over the top of the everything but the vocal, and the unwound bass and drums make this one of the great events of the new psychedelia. The percussion wound through the acoustic and electric guitars on "Wild Whiskey" is positively strange and beautifully, humidly seductive. But the closer, "Blue Tomb," walks the fine slash of a stiletto edge of tripped-out psych balladry and bone-cracking, plodding, über dope ROCK, with the added dimension of keyboards and feedback propelling it into the stratosphere. It may have taken Comets On Fire three albums to pull all the parts together -- something that was very common with acts that developed over time in the 1960s and '70s but is almost unheard of today -- but with Blue Cathedral, they've realized that there are no boundaries and no limits. This album just may signal the beginning of an exciting new era in rock music. (Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)

Track Listing:

01. The Bee and the Cracking Egg02. Pussy Foot the Duke03. Whiskey River04. Organs05. The Antlers of the Midnight Sun06. Brotherhood of the Harvest07. Wild Whiskey08. Blue Tomb

Monday, October 27, 2008

Pegataur is a power duo that plays heavy rock influenced by metal, doom, and punk. Add to this a theoretical foundation that draws from the world's great esoteric traditions and suddenly a new vision of the universe emerges which Pegataur calls simply: Musick.

Pegataur was formed in 2007 by Aaron Levin (drums) and Eric Murray (guitar) in Oakland, CA. They had previously honed their horned hands in bands such as Stay Gold Pony Boy and legendary cockrockers Boyjazz (Frenetic Records). After an impromptu voyage which resulted in the song "Divine Young Horse" (track 9 on Eternal Flight) it became clear that much more was at stake. Aaron & Eric proceeded to harness the elementals through their chosen musickal weapons to great effect.

The results are the 11 tracks found on their debut album Eternal Flight which will be released by For Once Records on November 4, 2008.

Though the jams were indeed righteous, Pegataur embarked on a deeper journey to understand their spontaneous creations. Thus began the development of "The Pegataur Working", a custom designed software package created by Eric that analyzes the musical structure of each song in an effort to correlate it with the wisdom of the many esoteric doctrines in which Pegataur is initiated. The initial fruits of this research are the song titles as well as the corresponding sigils depicted on the cover of Eternal Flight. Pegataur vows to continue their researches in an effort to better understand their music and the universe from which it sprang.

Today Pegataur is working on new material while blowing away audiences with their live show. Their intense performances involve a battery of guitar amps, each with a unique effects chain, as well as the famous "golden cannon" drum set which leaves audiences wondering how the hell 2 people can make so much noise.

Review:

On Eternal Flight Pegataur forges classic metal, doom, and noiserock into an irresistible alloy of hard rock mayhem. Each track showcases the beast at its best whether wallowing in the sludgy depths of stoner rock excess, galloping with thrash like intensity, or flying high again on the wings of pyrotechnic guitar work harkening back to the golden age of heavy metal. Though clearly rooted in the tradition of heavy music, Eternal Flight rewards those who can hang on with a surprisingly sweet pop center. Even in the depths of rocking the fuck out, Pegataur still pour enough sugar on their hooks to convert the non-believers.

Of nearly equal importance is the hand illustrated cover art which forms a complete microcosm of the Eternal Flight universe. Orbiting around the Pegataur seal are 11 sigils for the tracks and a 12th king sigil to bind and rule the album as a whole. Utilizing techniques employed by such famed Renaissance occultists as Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim and Dr. John Dee, each song title and corresponding sigil were generated by custom software (written by guitarist Eric Murray) that correlates the musical structure of each track with the many esoteric traditions in which Pegataur is initiated. It is suggested that the neophyte concentrate on each sigil as the song plays while holding the song title firmly in their mind to further their studies.

Straight off the streets of Montgomery, Alabama, El Chupa Cobras bring us a platter of spastic, angry, Today Is The Day-styled insanity, equal parts amped-up noise, punk fury, prog-rock noodling, and metallic aggression. If only The Jesus Lizard made some money for every noisy metal band they’ve inspired in the last few decades.

The biggest downfall with many bands of this ilk is that the constantly churning nature of the music gets in the way of the enjoyment of the record, that there’s no foothold to grab onto in the avalanche of ideas. Only the smallest of steps separates the adrenaline rush of a constant barrage of unexpected twists and turns and the ear-bending confusion of the same. El Chupa Cobras are literally standing on that line. I say so because, while this is playing, I dig it a lot—I’m sucked into the sturm und drang—but still, after about ten plus listens, only a few points remain in my skull for the long haul, bouncing around the catacombs of useless information that passes for my brain. On the “doin’ it right” front, the parts that I do remember are the riffs, of which there are many—the atonal descending opening of “Rehab,” the bass-driven chug of “Pre-Op,” the elongated outro “Chocolate Mask.”

Vocalist Kenny Johnson has a harsh, hardcore bark, distorted slightly, a bit lower in the mix than most everything else, and constantly reminiscent of someone, but I can’t think of who that may be… (Feel free to chime in and help me out in the lashes below…) His dynamics never vary, not once throughout the record—it’s the same vocal tone. If you’re not a fan of noise-rock, then I’d wager that you’re not going to dig these vocals, but that’s cool. Me? Well, I am a fan, and I do dig ‘em, but in truth, for the most part, he’s not the focal point anyway. After a bit, I tuned him out and just dug into the chaos beneath him.

El Chupa Cobras starts hard, with the crashing guitars of “Girls At Club Seven,” and it never stops or stops changing until “Chocolate Mask,” the album’s longest moment at seven minutes, over twice the length of any other track. This whole record is over before you know it, and that’s probably for the best, not because it’s bad, but the whole get-in-and-kick-them-before-they-know-what-hit-them approach works. Nothing here is absolutely overwhelmingly original, but like a great punk record, it’s just a blast of fun and you move on, happy that you shared that moment and searching for the next one.

In short order, I’ve landed this record, the debut by Cobras' labelmates The Devil And The Sea, and the reissue of Today Is The Day’s debut Supernova, so I’ll concede two things: 1), that this band has been trumped by both The Devil And The Sea’s sludge-doom and TITD’s mastery, and 2) that the TITD comparison above may partly be because that band is fresh on my mind. (Or it could be because El Chupa Cobras sound quite a bit like them, although perhaps less experimental.) Either way, if you like Jesus Lizard / Steve Austin, and/or if you can handle calamitous ADD-addled song structures, then this is a great little burst of distorted and disjointed chaos, punky and metallic and ugly, fleeting but fun nonetheless. (Jeremy Witt, MetalReview.com)

Sunday, October 26, 2008

For a limited time you can preview in its entirety the new album "Between Oceans" by heavy, sludge-psych female vocal lead band DriveByWire. Check it out here. Act now because it will only be there for a short time. Also, the band just came back from a tour in Greece. Here are a few videos of the band playing live.

Boston, Massachusetts-based band BLOODHORSE has set "Horizoner" as the title of its full-length debut, tentatively due in early 2009 via Translation Loss Records. A studio journal documenting the progress of the recording sessions can be found at this location.

BLOODHORSE's debut release, "EP", was recorded solely by the band, mastered at M-Works in Massachusetts and was issued in July 2007.

Consisting of Alex Garcia-Rivera (drums), Matt Woods (bass, vocals) and Adam Wentworth (guitar, vocals), BLOODHORSE formed at the tail-end of 2004 as an informal avenue of keeping busy during the down time of their respective bands. The following year would see the band become their main focus as previous obligations disbanded or disintegrated, and the core of their early material would be realized. Though a relatively new group, the members of BLOODHORSE have spent the last decade touring and releasing records with an expansive collective resume that includes 454 BIG BLOCK, SHELTER, THE RED CHORD, SAVES THE DAY, AMERICAN NIGHTMARE and PREMONITIONS OF WAR. However, BLOODHORSE dispel any notion of prior band affiliation with the bastardized wall of sound delivered on their debut, "EP", that pays homage to the likes of DEEP PURPLE and THE WHO while fusing contemporary elements from bands like ENTOMBED and SAINT VITUS.

As the band explains: "We try to approach our influences in the same way that, say, LED ZEPPELIN approached ROBERT JOHNSON and WILLIE DIXON. They were certainly beholden to their influences, yet in a way that wasn't a carbon copy. Collectively, we find the ethics and approach that these bands had to the creative process just as influential, if not more so, than the actual product itself."

With the release of Rusted Eyes Awake right around the corner, Landmine Marathon prepares for a string of West Coast dates, teaming up with such bands as Graf Orlock, Cattle Decapitation, and Trash Talk.

Landmine Marathon features frontwoman Grace Perry, one of the most talked-about young vocalists in the metal/hardcore scene today.

Hailing from Turku, Finland, Mangoo represents the true essence of stoner rock. There`s enough fuzz in the band`s sound to grind down mountains and the wall of boom just tramples all in its way. But what truly makes them stand out from the crowd is their eye for strong pop esthetiques. When you`re droning on in a herb induced coma, you don`t expect the chorus to catch your ear and make you wanna shake your bottom like it was 1974 all over again. That`s the magic that Mangoo brings to the table, so beware or you`ll get caught twistin`n`shouting in the wrong place!The basic setup in Mangoo`s case is topped off with the amazing synth works of Nikky. Everything from searing analog leads to heavy organs are added on to the guitar and bass wall of Mattarn, Pickles and Igor. With Pickles handling the lead vocals and both Nikky and Igor taging along here and there, the live sound of Mangoo is also something to experience. On the album, the drums were laid down by Peer Günt -man Sakke Koivula, but his hurries and worries with his main band didn`t permit him to join the clan full time, so Teemu was found to fill the fills and keep up the beat.

The bands debut album, titled Neolithic, will see daylight in Finland through 7:45 Records within a few months and from there, the band is ready to take on the world. Mixed by Mr. Dango of the mighty Truckfighters, Neolithic will surely be one of those albums that sneaks up behind you and just knocks your teeth out. The Mangoo clan will invade your country soon enough, so the question is: Do you want to stand united with them, or feel the wrath of their thundering axes?

Early Man has returned with Beware the Circling Fin, their first release since 2005`s acclaimed Closing In. Beware The Circling Fin, the band`s first release for The End Records, was mixed with the help of legendary producer Jack Endino (Nirvana, Mudhoney, Dwarves, High On Fire).

Beware The Circling Fin`s lead cut, a raging thrasher called "Sinking The Blade," is available for download from MetalSucks.net.

MetalSucks also interviewed Early Man frontman Mike Conte about the downfall of Neanderthals (`they were too intense to last long`), Metalocalypse (`so on point it`s sometimes not even funny`), and where metal went wrong (`it didn`t`). Read the entire interview at MetalSucks.

Beware the Circling Fin is available in CD, digital, and 10" vinyl formats.

Wantage USA, the most mispronounced label in existence (rhymes with "advantage") and known in HEAVY crowds for having thudded out the Whip`s only 7", and the debut Big Business recordings, has got limited vinyl copies of four new records on its hands:

Red Fang - Self Titled LPFirst pressing of 200. Red Fang features four of western America`s premier heavy metal rock and roll players in a band that`s part Big Business plow, part Blue Cheer abandon, and several parts colossal metallic Portland spastic thunder. With exes ranging from Last of the Juanitas to Truman`s Water, you sort of start to get a sense of what`s going with these dudes. Heavy, but smart, weird heavy. This is what the Onion had to say: "In place of symmetry and precision, Red Fang smears roughhewn, ragged riffs that place the band much more in the camp of Big Business (or even The Sword minus the hobbit shtick). Out behind a new five-song tour EP, the band sports members from all over the place, including Last of the Juanitas, Facedowninshit, and even the legendary San Diego noise collective Truman`s Water."

This LP features both of their first CD-only (until now) EPs and one previously unreleased bonus track.

Street date: 10/28/2008

Japanther - Tut Tut, Now Shake Ya Butt LPJapanther`s always been a band of contrasts. They exist halfway in the world of performance art, and halfway in that of DIY punk. They get called to compose and perform soundtracks to puppet rock operas and then do a tour comprising largely house shows. They curate huge video/dance/music shows for major New York museums, and then release their music only via DIY/independent labels.

Keeping that tradition of contrast alive the lads have teamed up with (Crass co-founder) Penny Rimbaud and released a record of punk songs and poetry. On the surface, that may sound like an odd combination, but this thing is truly a wild romp `round Africa, the Bronx, San Pedro and Brooklyn, complete with faeries, bicycles and a few cans of spray paint. Japanther`s infectious, free spirited trash hasn`t let up a teeny bit, it`s just gotten more focused and rad somehow. Rimbaud`s churning, clever, degenerate cadence is an oddly fitting balance for Japanther`s two-minute blasts.

These songs are consistent with the level of songwriting on their last Skuffed Up My Huffy LP. Tut Tut, Now Shake Ya Butt was recorded in late 2007, as the (band-curated and organized) Dinosaur Death Dance performance ran for three (sold out) nights at New York`s PS122. On a special note, this record features a sleeper cover of (ca. 1995) Portland`s New Bad Things` "The Dirge"!

Vinyl comes with digital download.

Street date: 10/28/2008

Miss Lana Rebel - All I Need LP/CDLimited, hand-numbered run of 208, silk screened, artist-signed originals. Comes with song book with lyrics and music.

Real-deal American country music has its roots in the anti-government encampments of born-disaffected Scots Irish settlers in Appalachian America. Those dark hills and hollers are where folks immigrated in order to get away, to not participate in the sorts of activities that most folks thought they should as part of civilization. Specifically, to keep clear of the “revenuers” and others who wanted to get at their wallets in the name of a federal government. When these folks picked up instruments the stories and poems of loss, freedom, often death and once in a while hope began to flow like corn whiskey from an earthenware jug. In that way, I daresay real country’s more punk than punk. As the East grew increasingly crowded, we heard this music coming from places further west, like Texas, Arizona, and California. Miss Lana Rebel continues in that authentic tradition of Spartan, Appalachian/Western country, without the political endorsements (real county’s as apolitical as you can get), dumb hooks or the need to participate in a genre fronted by a qualifying adjective (“new,” “alt,” or otherwise). Get ready to have some stories told to you. All I Need will get tears in your Coors, and a lump in your throat.

Street date: 10/28/2008

Vile Blue Shades - John Thursday California Adventure LPFirst pressing of 250. From deep in the heart of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young`s failed state of "Deseret" come the vile brothers and sister of Vile Blue Shades. Sort of like a loaded, swaggering outsider dance group, or maybe more accurately a 12-member collective with two drummers, two or three other percussionists, a keyboardist, three or four guitarists, a bassist, a dancer and a bespectacled, hulking, three-quarters talking, one-quarter singing front person.

Utah`s Mormon, mountain isolation occasionally kicks out some of the wildest underground stuff going (see Le Force, Red Bennies, Fuck the Informer, Agape, Wolfs, etc.) and Vile Blue Shades bring their unique type of bizarre, compelling music to a gape-jawed West. Reference points abound: VBS are a little bit Gibby Haynes, part James Chance, part Andy Gill, part lots of things, but as far as new bands go they are an unusual, visceral, sleazy spectacle. Read about VBS in September 2008`s Salt Lake UnderGround (SLUG) magazine. John Thursday California Adventure is the band`s self-described "sex record" and it features a range of vivid, pornographic lyrics whose inspiration came in large part from Henry Miller`s Under the Roofs of Paris work. Jud (Le Force) Powell engineered this and it`s the best recorded output they`ve done yet. This record captures the deliberate half-step calculated off-time echo of the band and has a weird and enveloping vibe.

Ironclad is pleased to announce the addition of new drummer Adrian Flores!

Danny, Tank and Stuart have been talking for most of 2008 about re-forming with a new drummer to fill the vacant spot left by Javi Moctezuma. But with Danny and Tim`s relentless touring schedules (The Mother Truckers and the mighty M.O.D., respectively) just getting them both home in Austin at the same time was hard enough. But the word was put out and a few drummers were approached.

Says Danny G: "We all have known Adrian from being around Red River, he`s a great guy, solid player and has really dug Ironclad. We were supposed to get together with him last month but he hurt his shoulder and was out of commission for the one month Tim and I had off...! But we were finally able to get together with him earlier this evening and it was a natural fit."

Adrian also drums (and will continue to do so) for Bound, featuring members of Super Heavy Goat Ass, Teabag, and Meganaut, and has played with the Jane Bond Band.

Ironclad plans to return to the stage by late December or January at the latest. Stay tuned for updates as they come!

We would also like to thank everyone who`s been asking about us for the past year for your support... and patience! It has meant so much to us.

Winnebago Deal consists of Ben Perrier (vocals/guitar) and Ben Thomas (drums). Simple as. They live in Oxford in the UK, and sound something like a hurricane in a nunnery. The refreshingly foulmouthed two-headed, four-legged rock monster blitzed their way through Australia earlier this year, loving it so much they have decided to return as part of the 2009 Devil`s Kitchen Festival.

The journey of this thunderously minimalist duo has been of the long and grinding variety: first came the Plato O Plomo mini-album on Fierce Panda in 2003. Then came their debut album, Dead Gone, on Double Dragon. The latest installment was the follow-up, Flight of the Raven. Released in Australia via Impedance Records with a bonus DVD.

Along the way there have been alleged backstage brawls, rumoured side stage set-tos and hundreds of storming live shows with Therapy?, High on Fire, The Dwarves, Brant Bjork, and Nebula, all played as gigs should be played i.e. "In a haze of broken glass." Sounds grueling? Screw that – Ben and Ben are ready to bring themselves down under all over again.

See, things happen for Winnebago Deal. Flight of the Raven was recorded in Seattle with Jack Endino – a man so cool he produced Touch Me, I`m Sick and Bleach. "He encourages you to drink before your takes – he tells you to get your head right."

For a few year`s they also toured the world as part of Nick Oliveri`s Mondo Generator. Heading throughout Europe opening for Motorhead and having John Garcia (Kyuss) join them on stage to sing “Allen`s Wrench” in front of thirty thousand Spaniards (check it out on YouTube) were just a couple of the highlights.

Reviews following the bands first visit to Australia left many people lamenting they fact they had missed out. But fear not, they are back and covering more territory this time around. Winnebago Deal play Devils Kitchen on the following dates. Line up and venue details will be announced early November.

Damnweevil has completed the recording and mixing of a new album`s worth of music. These songs were recorded by Salvador Raya (Asunder, Elk) on 2" tape at Ear Hammer Studios in Oakland, California. One new track will be included on a 7" split for Eugene, Oregon`s Raven`s Eye Records.

Damnweevil is currently making plans for releasing its second full length album. At least one new track will be up on the Damnweevil MySpace page soon. Please stay tuned for more info and a release date.

Such Hawks Such Hounds: Scenes from the American Hard Rock Underground will have a free screening on Saturday, November 8, 2008 at The Meat Wallet (1154 Myrtle Ave) in Brooklyn, NY. Doors are at 4 pm and the film starts at 5 pm.

The documentary features commentary and performances by Acid King, Across the River, The Atomic Bitchwax, Bardo Pond, Brant Bjork, Comets on Fire, Dead Meadow, Earthless, Fatso Jetson, High on Fire, Kyuss, Mammatus, Nebula, The Obsessed, Om, Pearls and Brass, Saint Vitus, Sleep, and Sunn O))). For more information, visit www.myspace.com/heavythemovie.

Celebrate Halloween with Grief, Indian, Rabid Rabbit, Bloodiest, and DJ Kevin Dumm at Chicago`s Hideout. The show will also serve as Rabit Rabbit`s CD release show.

Local doom warriors Rabid Rabbit formed as a two piece instrument of terror between husband and wife Mike T and Andrea J after the break up of their previous bands (Frontier, The Dishes/Drapes, Camaro Rouge). The two soon found the music growing and gaining momentum and enlisted Dallas transplant Gregg Prickett and his buzz saw guitar antics. Soon after, Arman Mabry (Hamiks, Galactic Inmate) joined on second bass. Rabid Rabbit was spawned.

Giving nods to such influences as Jucifer, Sea of Tombs, Harvey Milk, Drunks with Guns, Sunn O))), Rabid Rabbit defies genres with woven arrangements of doom, rock, jazz, punk but always with the heavy low end of the double basses. True music fans will be pleased with subtle references, novices can just bang their heads.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Sorry so late, but I've been busy as shit today. Don't have time for an Album Of The Day, but I just wanted to give yunz (Pittsburghese term) a heads up on what to look forward to for the upcoming week. I got some great new bands for you guys to check out. Here is the lineup:

Monday-PegataurTuesday-Burnt OrangeWednesday-Catboy And The Dogs Of SinThursday-The Devil Rides OutSaturday-Tombstones

In the meantime check out some of the bands on this cool label-Sulatron Records, MySpace they feature many psychedelic and experimental bands.

Western Pennsylavnia`s Argus have decided that it is in their best interest to part ways with Emissary Records (Chile). We are currently working on finishing the album we began in May and hope to have it completed by the end of 2008. We will begin seeking a new label deal for the release of our self-titled debut.

In other news we are excited to announce the addition of Erik Johnson on guitar. Erik replaces Mike Wisniewski who departed the band in September. Erik was a founding member of Argus and we`re excited to add him back as guitarist. We`ve already begun writing for the follow-up to our debut and he has already contributed in this area.

The artwork to Droids Attack's awesome Fatal/Error explains the album title as thus: scientist tries to teach a droid to use a knife to cut a carrot to disastrous results. Carnage ensues. The crew of a spaceship is butchered. Fatal/Error indeed. It's a simple, time-honored premise, and it sort of relates to the music within. Droids Attack borrows from Clutch's Transnational Speedway, The Melvins' Houdini/Stoner Witch/Stag trifecta, and the get-up-and-go boogie of Hognose or Lamont. To their credit, they do more than just shellac those sounds and call them their own. There's something awesome the way opener “The Lord” keeps tacking on new, killer riffs, the way “Steven Seagal” makes me want to run around kicking things, and the way “Malachai Crunch” reminds me that I need to go buy more beer. It's not a 100% “Hell fucking yeah!” reaction, though. “Long Time Coming” starts with a blatant High on Fire riff that doesn't have much to do with the rest of the song, and the album sags a bit in the middle. They pick it back up at end, with the instrumental “The John Oates Moustache Ride” and “Scythe of the River.” Fatal/Error is another example of a band taking the basics of good rock n roll and running with it. It's been done a million times before, but Droids Attack still manage to leave their mark. This one's going in the recommended pile. (John Pegoraro, StonerRock.com)

Track Listing:

01. The Lord02. Steven Seagal03. Malachi Crunch04. Long Time Coming05. Dope Smuggler06. Blood of the Earth07. The John Oates Mustache Ride08. Scythe in the Fire

Thursday, October 23, 2008

For many of the stoner rock bands that emerged in the '90s or '00s, the basic recipe is as follows: a major Black Sabbath obsession (along with possible elements of Blue Cheer and Hawkwind), fuzzy guitars, lyrics dealing with the supernatural or the occult, and an appreciation of the Nirvana/Seattle/grunge/Sub Pop scene of the late '80s/early '90s. Stoner rock has enough of a grunge influence to be considered part of alternative metal, but unlike most alterna-metal, stoner rock doesn't have chugging guitars -- in stoner rock, the guitars are more Sabbath-minded (with a lot of fuzz and sludge). The thing that separates Chemical Vacation from other stoner rock releases of the early '00s is the fact that Sea of Green tends to favor the grunge side of things more than the Sabbath/Hawkwind side of things. Yes, Sabbath is an influence on the Toronto band, but not an obsession. The early '70s are an influence; the early '90s are a greater influence. And when all is said and done, Chemical Vacation is closer to Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains than it is to Sabbath. In fact, tracks like "Fantasy Sublime" and "Darkness" are so grunge-obsessed that some headbangers might feel that Sea of Green is basically a grunge band at heart and not a stoner combo in the typically Sabbath-worshipping Fu Manchu/Eyehategod/Goatsnake/Orange Goblin sense. Nonetheless, it isn't hard to understand why Sea of Green generally goes over well with stoner rock audiences -- stoner rockers like their metal on the melodic side, and this band offers an enjoyable blend of aggression and melody. Chemical Vacation falls short of exceptional, but it's a decent, well-crafted effort that is worth hearing if you're a die-hard grunge fanatic. (Alex Henderson, All Music Guide)

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

"I can't say I've heard anything like this before, and that is a damn good thing. Unpersons are bringing something unique to the table with this release. They use crust as a foundation for their insane sound, but maintain a very loose song writing style over the course of this 11 song monster, that shows there are really no limits as to what they are ready to unleash on your unsuspecting ears. Mellow, almost jazzy sections of psychedelia turn into out of control bursts of hatred without a moment's notice. The band even get downright sludgy from time to time with a few very well placed doom riffs that are a bit punked up in the vein of late greats, Cavity and Buzzov*en. Add to this some extremely fucked up vocals and you are in for a trip that you won't soon forget!! It is an intense, musical journey that is nothing short of insane and even epic at times. This is an amazing album." (Anonymous)

Monday, October 20, 2008

Columbia, SC-based band Mary Shelley Overdrive has made two albums available today as free downloads...

The band made a splash earlier this year with an impromptu collection of covers titled "Hideous Sexy". Released the same weekend as Bo Diddley’s death, the album featured a cover of his classic “Who Do You Love,” described by New York Magazine as a “muscle-bound goth dirge.”

"Hideous Sexy" was a collection of cover songs recorded during the creation of the band’s self-titled LP, released September 24, 2008. "Hideous Sexy" has been available as a free download at the band’s website, www.maryshelleyoverdrive.com, since May.

Joining that album today are two more EPs — "Shock Theatre", and "Bride of Shock Theatre". Both are also posted as free downloads.

"Shock Theatre" is a re-mastered version of the band’s first EP, originally posted for download a year ago today. It has since been discontinued but, after the release of "Hideous Sexy", the band was hit with requests to make their earlier effort available again to the public.

“Shock Theatre" was recorded when we were still trying to find our sound,” said guitarist Simon McCorkindale. “We had some problems with it and wanted to tinker a little with the sound before making it available again.”

Most of those changes were minor adjustments to the mix. During the re-mixing process, though, the band decided to record new vocals for the cover of Rob Zombie’s “House of a Thousand Corpses,” turning it into a duet between singer Mark Wood and bassist Miss Wyckedevil Jones.

When the band finished its self-titled LP, they returned to the studio and recorded seven new songs in a week. Titled “Bride of Shock Theatre,” it’s a collection original compositions peppered with covers of tunes by Blue Oyster Cult, New Math and Bauhaus.

“It’s got a rushed, impromptu sound that I like,” said singer Mark Wood. “It sounds very ‘live.’ We didn’t do many takes or spend much time obsessing over details.”"Hideous Sexy", "Shock Theatre" and "Bride of Shock Theatre" are available as free downloads at www.maryshelleyoverdrive.com. Check them out at the links below.

Metallic rock titans The Sword have announced U.S. headlining dates in support of its critically-acclaimed new album, Gods of the Earth. The band will headline a slew of off-dates while on tour supporting Metallica, who hand-picked the celebrated Austin, TX quartet as support on its upcoming North American tour, set to launch October 21 in Glendale, AZ.

Teaser clips for the Metallica/The Sword run have surfaced and can be viewed online at these locations (clip #1/clip #2). In addition to headlining off-dates during the Metallica tour, The Sword will team up with Lamb of God for a string of shows this December.

The Sword’s brand new music video – for the towering single “How Heavy this Axe” – will make its world premiere this Tuesday, October 21 on MTV2. The kaleidoscopic clip, which pays homage to the classic Black Sabbath videos “Paranoid” and “Iron Man,” will also air as part of the network’s “Headbangers Ball: 20th Anniversary” programming. The week-long celebration, which will feature noteworthy interviews, archive footage from the program’s past 20 years, a roundtable discussion with ex-Headbangers Ball VJ’s and more will include the “How Heavy this Axe” video as part of the Saturday, October 25 edition of “Headbangers Ball”.

The Sword has taken the music world by storm in the three years since its Kemado Records debut, Age of Winters, gaining widespread acclaim for its aggressive sound, mountaintop-friendly hooks and lyrical themes rife with myth and mythology. The band’s sophomore album, Gods of the Earth, was released this past April.

Check out The Sword’s “Maiden, Mother & Crone” video now at this location.

The Sword Tour Dates(As part of Metallica’s fall/winter North American headlining tour)

After pulling a no-show the past couple years, Small Stone Records has decided to once again participate in the CMJ Music Marathon and they will be coming back with a vengeance. The festivities will take place on Friday, October 24 at The Trash Bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and will feature the crème de la crème of the label`s roster, as well as an open bar from 8 - 9 PM.

Appearing will be the recently-reformed stoner rock pioneers Roadsaw, hot on the heels of their new album, See You In Hell; raucous power trios The Brought Low and Throttlerod, both of whom have new records due in 2009; St. Louis` Shame Club, whose recent album, Come On, is poised to top many 2008 “Best of” lists; Albany NY`s Ironweed, who has just release its debut long-player, Indian Ladder; and Boston`s Hackman, whose sophomore effort, Enterprises, comes out next month.

Continuing the world tour that began in Japan, October 2006, we now begin the second leg of the journey on what may be the slowest tour of all time! Sludge/doom legend Corrupted returns after 11 years to join forces with Asunder bringing the heaviest tour we can deliver!!

Instrumental psych/stoner warriors Ten East will be touring Australia for the first time in December 2008. With a touring line-up comprising of lynch pin Gary Arce (Yawning Man/Fatso Jetson/Dark Tooth Encounter) as well Billy Cordell (Yawning Man), Bryan Giles (Red Fang/Last Of The Juanitas), and Bill Stinson (Dark Tooth Encounter/Greg Ginn`s HOR/Chuck Dukowski Sextet), they`re sure to fry minds with their patented brand of desert-fried psychedelic stoner-punk, and will be playing tracks from their Extraterrestrial Highway and The Robot`s Guide To Freedom CDs, as well as perhaps a Yawning Man track or two.

Catch them at the National Hotel in Geelong on the 10th of December; the Northcote Social Club in Melbourne on the 11th; the Meredith Music Festival on the 12th; and the Annandale Hotel in Sydney on the 13th.

Finisher hit up Mad Oak this weekend to record its debut full length, to be release in early 2009 by Witch Trial Records. The three-piece from the Boston area plans on recording 22 songs for their debut.

In November, Finisher will be hitting the road with label-mates Lord Mantis. Here are the dates:

Some good news for those of you out there hungry for a little more Josiah.

The band plan to release a new album in early 2009, entitled Procession. This will feature an A side of previously unreleased studio cuts and a live show on the B side recorded in Umea during our tour of Sweden back in 2007.

Procession will be the final release and the group would like to thank all those who gave a little (and a lot) to Josiah since 2000. You all know who you are.

"Darediablo are an instrumental trio pushing the boundaries of jazz, hard rock and progressive fusion with a wall of feedback and some very clever time changes. Ten songs that strip away any and all preconceptions of linear song writing and replaces it with a quirky mesh of groove-laden rhythmic drive. Creating a sonic statement derived from combining the liquid organ of late ‘60s psychedelia with the sledgehammer thunder of modern metal." (Teodoro, StonerRock.com)

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Holland's Beaver worships the almighty groove. Shirking the bombastic approach preferred by most bands lumped into the "stoner" category (Kyuss, Monster Magnet, etc.), these retro-rock veterans have actually been around so long, they predate the genre entirely. No, Beaver's m.o. is an altogether subtler one: composing driving songs ideal for cruise-control mode that you can nod your head to, not bang it on the steering wheel. Opener "Private Stash" is a perfect example, laying down an oscillating riff, which is then topped with swirling harmonics and flowing, circular leads. Coming off their most experimental outing so far, 1999's free jazz-inflected Lodge (as well as assorted projects with the Queens of the Stone Age), Mobile is a return to more familiar shores. The bottom-heavy "Circumnavigation" and the Sons of Otis-like mellow grind "9 Lives" (complete with echo-effect vocals slipping in and out of the haze) provide further highlights, while seven-plus minute closer "Hour Glass" blows through a few red lights with its false ending. New arrivals to the Beaver experience may find frontman Roel Schoenmakers' voice a tad too similar to that of the legendary Wino, but Beaver's lengthy association with the American doom icon since the band's early days might explain (if not justify) this coincidence. And why nitpick? Mobile provides a welcome, laid-back ride for fans of guitar-driven retro-rock. (Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide)

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Tusk consists of three members of Chicago post-metal pointdexters Pelican, with Kayo Dot frontman Toby Driver and Young Widows’ Evan Patterson sharing vocals. Their first on Hydra Head, The Resisting Dreamer is their second full-length. The album feels like a much-needed jaunt into the experimental for the instrumental-minded Pelicanites, with vocals sparse and unobtrusive for the most part. It is a mere four songs (about 38 minutes), and functions as one long song rather than individual units. Despite this, the division is absolutely logical, with each “chapter” having its own mood, style and flavor.

The album is largely avant-garde, with elements of drone, grind, doom and post-metal present throughout. The opening riff of first track “Everlasting Taste of Disguise” dances in on the high end of the spectrum, and sounds briefly Pelican-esque. Not to be pigeonholed, though, Tusk quickly shed their familiar stylings for echoey, angular and deep-rumbling horizons with only a hint of the band’s sometime alter ego. The song continues in this way, with vocals eventually joining the discordant instrumentation in a mournful drone. In time, this gives way to “Cold Twisted Aisle,” which sounds vaguely like noise-merchants The Number Twelve Looks Like You, both in angular instrumentation and shriek-yelled vocals that are presently causing nearby elders to furrow their eyebrows. Mission accomplished, one might say.

Track three briefly revisits Pelican territory, but with a more aggressive post-metal approach. The occasional near-death metal yell accents this, making “Life’s Denial” one of the most headbanger-friendly tracks offered here. The track goes into its death throes around the three-minute mark, with fading bellows and droning guitar marking an equally long transition to final track “Lewdness and Frenzy of Surrender.” This continues for a further six minutes, and the extended downtime may warrant use of the fast-forward button. In truth, after the first few measures there’s not much to gain from the rest. The 16-minute epic of the album continues on much in this same way, changing gears four, maybe five times to gradually fade to its final note.

The Resisting Dreamer is interesting, to be sure, but its relatively short runtime indulges too much sameness to keep the record interesting throughout. The first two tracks are strong and original, with the latter half of the album forging deep into the land of experimental drone. This album requires a strong attention span and a keen ear for subtlety. Fans of drone and more experimental post-metal should pick this one up, but Pelican fans interested because of the band overlap should be wary. (Brian Sweeney, MetalReview.com)

Heralded Indianapolis, IN doom metal masters The Gates of Slumber have announced a fall, 2008 U.S. tour in support of their celebrated new album Conqueror. The respected power trio will team up with fellow Indianapolis metal troupe Demiricous for a four week, 27 city trek that is scheduled to kick off on November 8.

Dubbed the “Conquest of Poverty Tour”, the Metal Maniacs magazine-sponsored expedition will spotlight a band that has been called “a breath of fresh air within the doom/true metal underground” in The Gates of Slumber. Since 2006, tGoS has consistently toured almost exclusively on European soil, where it has developed a rabid fan base. The band’s high-potency live performances have garnered serious word-of-mouth kudos and built it a cult following amongst the die-hard traditional metal/doom community, resulting in fans literally driving hours to catch the band’s live sets. Now, with the buzz surrounding The Gates of Slumber reaching new heights in the band’s home country, the time is right for the metal band to showcase its live muscle on domestic stages. The tour’s official admat can be viewed online at this location.

On the topic of the long-awaited U.S. tour dates, The Gates of Slumber guitarist/front man Karl Simon comments, “It`s exciting to think that we’re finally about to embark on a full U.S. tour in our fifth year as a band. Those who catch out live sets can expect a strong dose of Conqueror material, and for those long-time fans who have supported us all along, we`ll make sure to touch on the songs from the previous albums that are mainstays of our live set. And for those who only know our songs from Conqueror, you will not be disappointed as we`ve included what we feel is the strongest songs from the album! We`re champing at the bit to get it on. Expect blunt force trauma!”

Conqueror was released on May 27, 2008 via Profound Lore Records and is a mighty plunge that proves true heavy metal doubles as a powerful art form. The doomy, epic metal pillage was produced and recorded in full analog at Chicago’s Volume Studios and produced by Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Lair of the Minotaur, Pelican). The record’s crushing riffs brim with melody and “wailing” guitar solos, while the strong vocals of Simon and the band’s storming rhythm section hammer home songs such as “Trapped in the Web,” “Ice Worm,” and the ominous, four-part heavy metal odyssey, “Dark Valley Suite.” The band’s debut music video – for the song “Trapped in the Web” – has seen considerable TV play on MTV2’s long-running ‘Headbangers Ball’ program, generating further excitement for the band’s much-anticipated U.S. live dates.

Weaned on Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, the melodic might of Iron Maiden, and a host of classic bands from Thin Lizzy to Rainbow to Mercyful Fate, The Gates of Slumber draws deep from heavy metal`s most powerful blood and delivers doom in its purest form. In addition to Simon, The Gates of Slumber features bassist Jason McCash and drummer “Iron” Bob Fouts.

Hey friends, the brand new split EP 090208 with our friend Leech has just hit the stores and is available from now on in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Other countries will follow later this year, stay tuned for updates.

Former TROUBLE singer Eric Wagner has posted a new song from his Illinois-based rock/acoustic/psychadelic project called BLACKFINGER. The track called "Keep On Fallin'" is currently being streamed on the band's MySpace page.

BLACK SABBATH/HEAVEN AND HELL guitarist Tony Iommi recently spoke to Guitar World magazine about his 40 years in music, and one of the subjects broached by writer Chris Gill was the fact that a handful of BLACK SABBATH songs recorded in the band's early days when they were still known as EARTH — including "The Rebel", "When I Came Down" and "Song For Jim" — have yet to be released to this day.

According to Iommi, "We didn’t write those songs. They were written by a chap named Norman Haines. At the time we were managed by Jim Simpson, who was a local Birmingham guy. He insisted that we record these songs that his friend Norman had written. We just wanted to play, so we recorded them. We wanted to write our own songs and make our own record, but this was just an initial effort. We had never been in a recording studio in our lives before that. It was a very basic studio. Even back then we never really wanted those recordings to see the light of day. Those songs sound nothing remotely like BLACK SABBATH."

A brief audio snippet of "When I Came Down" can be heard below.

A collection of unpublished outtakes from Guitar World's interview with Tony Iommi can be read here.

Despite the intricate beauty and sheer force of instrumental compositions by Pelican, Red Sparowes, and Don Caballero, one can't help but wonder how their music would be altered with vocals. Insert American Heritage, a Chicago-based thinking man's metal band whose instrumental debut, 1999's Why Everyone Gets Cancer, was chock-full of highly technical, heavier-than-thou shredding and jazzlike drumming in the vein of Mastodon (as evidenced by the bands' split 7-inch). On the trio's fifth album, Millenarian, Adam Norden's demented growl now leads the assault. While the ruthless wall of noise, more neurotic than Neurosis, still puts listeners in a choke hold, Norden's punishing vocals become the right-hand punches that eventually break one's face. From the opening rapture of "Brootal: Axxes of Evil" through the apocalyptic closure of "Piss Engine," Millenarian sounds like the aural equivalent of "Fucking a Napkin Full of Toenails." The downtrodden moments of drone and doom rehash Sleep's Dopesmoker and Eyehategod's Dopesick while serving as brief shelter from the storm of time-signature changes. Speak now or forever hold your piece. (Austin Powell, AustinChronicle.com)

Track Listing:

01. Brootal: Axxes of Evil02. Toilet Paper and Leotards03. It's Like Fucking a Napkin Full of Toenails04. Peckerwood05. Way to Go Cowboy06. Spina Bifida07. Piss Engine

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Baby Woodrose, with the release of Chasing Rainbows, continue to amaze the listener with well-crafted psych. "Chasing Rainbows" is very much a modern album ieven n that it displays classic 60's songwriting influences such as Love, The 13th Floor Elevators, The Doors and Group 1850. However upon closer inspection, Baby Woodrose is expanding upon the repertoire / format of the genre, through the unique qualities of their sound. The band possesses that "otherworldly" quality of time and space that all great psych groups inhabit.

"Someone to Love" starts the CD with a distorted guitar - organ introduction. A riff is developed and the rhythm section follows suit. The song follows a classic pattern of verse - chorus - verse. "Someone to Love" combined with "I'm Gonna Make You Mine", the second song, both have memorable choruses that leave an imprint on you along with those bouncy organ riffs, fuzzed out riffs and catchy vocals.

For the third song, "Let Yourself Go", the band - Lorenzo Woodrose (guitars, organs and vocals), Fuzz Daddy (drums and percussion) and The Moody Guru (bass and tempura) - get down with a heavier workout. The band really shines on this song: farfisa riffs, wah wah guitar leads and echoed vocals. A similar approach is taken later in the album with the title track "Chasing Rainbows". A real deep bass riff pulls the song together, leaving the guitar to spew distorted riffs and the drums to accent the proceedings. One aspect of both songs is the passionate vocal styling of Lorenzo Woodrose. Vocally, he has a voice that is emotionally charged and soulful.

One of the other great qualities of Chasing Rainbows is the softer moments throughout the album. A memorable presence is felt in several songs. "Lillith" has an unbeatable combination of folk inspired guitar accompanied by haunting pedal steel playing. "In Your Life" is sheer pop bliss. Raga percussion, sitar, bells and acoustic guitar create a backdrop for Lorenzo's sweet vocals. The drums are then introduced two thirds into the song along with distorted guitar.

"No More Darkness" is a tale of heartbreak filled with punk attitude. The background vocals are especially noteworthy. "No More Darkness" then segues into the soaring heights of "Dark Twin". The band's unique songwriting abilities, and ability to break away from convention, become evident on this track. The song "Dark Twin" feels almost like a song from the Middle Ages. Filled with a repetitive bass line, acoustic guitars, bells, organ and a drum march, the song is somber but yet beautiful in it's orchestration.

Baby Woodrose's fourth release is d a memorable CD that will warrant repeated listening over the years to come. "Chasing Rainbows" is an album that is filled with so much in terms of quality and effort placed on the songs ability to transcend the listener.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

San Francisco`s acid-fuzz-post-metal outfit Wildildlife is touring the West Coast with Mammatus in October. Portland`s ultra-sludge machine Trees are also on the road now, also on the West Coast, and have shows coming up alongside the almighty Corrupted! If you live out that way, get some!!!